Is This Lights Are Too Much For Planted Fresh Water ( Pic Added )

[Vin Swords]

hi guys,,

so i bought this as Spares Or Repair.. ( to modd it and sell back..) i spend around 50 quids on it plus few hours of work.. i probably sell it for £150..

but after repairing it and replaced 3X250W 20k MH bulbs PLUS 5 feet pure actinic and day light 14k T5. i am totally loving the colour spectrum.. starting to wonder if i could use it on my tank. but is it suitable? am i risking algae.. (algae only?)

thanks

 

[BigTom]

Nothing worng in principle with using metal halides on freshwater tanks (I have one on mine), but thats a really massive amount of light. I'd expect to run into algae problems very quickly using something like that.

 

[StandbySetting]

Keep it raised above the tank, but I still think you'll have massive algae issues, these Metal Halides are for marine tanks generally.

What's the tank volume?

 

[Vin Swords]

Nothing worng in principle with using metal halides on freshwater tanks (I have one on mine), but thats a really massive amount of light. I'd expect to run into algae problems very quickly using something like that.

i am planing to use it and see how is it gos..
worrying about the heat though, as i have wooden half hood since we have a very nosy cat.


ps.. i was reading your jurnal.. very intresting tank type..

 

[StandbySetting]

I'd also be worried about running costs, for every hour it's using 950 Watts of power, run it for 8 hours a day and that's 7.6KW, the same as 7.6 units, a year that is 2774 units of power, dependent on your energy supplier it's going to cost a lot to run, if you can find out the price of one unit of power, a unit is on average 8 pence, so 2774*8 is 22192 pence, or £221.92 a year.

 

[Vin Swords]

Keep it raised above the tank, but I still think you'll have massive algae issues, these Metal Halides are for marine tanks generally.

What's the tank volume?

cant keep it hanging.. tank need to be closed.. (may add 2 or 4 pc fans..)

water volume is 400+l..

 

[StandbySetting]

You're going to have monstrous algae issues, as well as a massive electricity bill.

 

[Vin Swords]

You're going to have monstrous algae issues, as well as a massive electricity bill.

electricity bill is ok.. i have a money tree at back of the yard..

i wonder how bad is this algae issue going to be.. noone really done like this ai?

seen MH lighting in similar sized HT planted tanks..

big tom.. how many hours u leave the lights on?

 

[StandbySetting]

Are you using CO2? I think you're still going to struggle with the unit so close to the water, most MH's over planted tanks are suspended above the tank so that it's not as intense.

 

[Vin Swords]

Are you using CO2? I think you're still going to struggle with the unit so close to the water, most MH's over planted tanks are suspended above the tank so that it's not as intense.

organic carbon..

having looking in to this, i am planing to build a tall hood.. ( will update how is this going..)

 

[StandbySetting]

Oh right, just thinking of your plants, they'll die without proper CO2 injection with this kind of light, it's totally unnecessary, are any of the bulbs on separate circuits so you can run only half or a third etc?

Organic carbon won't prevent algae

 

[bae1994]

My advice would be sell and make a few pounds then buy some different spectrum t8/t5's to add to your existing setup to achieve this spectrum

As you most likely will get algea if you just switch over and why not change your existing bulbs to similar spectrum and. Achieve the same effect with no issues

 

[Mikaila31]

You could.... if you wish to grow algae. It is crazy amount of light even for high tech. Tank would be high care high costs and even then it would be hard. The light you have is more directed towards SW. Even if you changed the bulb and spectrum its still overkill... I run high tech tanks and never heard of success with that much light over a tank. If you Cut the wattage down to 1/3 you still have more then enough...

 

[Vin Swords]

My advice would be sell and make a few pounds then buy some different spectrum t8/t5's to add to your existing setup to achieve this spectrum

As you most likely will get algea if you just switch over and why not change your existing bulbs to similar spectrum and. Achieve the same effect with no issues

i currently run 4 x 14k 54w t5 aquascience tubes.. i just want marine tank look.. my water is crystal clear but i just cant get that look.

Oh right, just thinking of your plants, they'll die without proper CO2 injection with this kind of light, it's totally unnecessary,

seems like its going to be a white elephant..

You could.... if you wish to grow algae. It is crazy amount of light even for high tech. Tank would be high care high costs and even then it would be hard. The light you have is more directed towards SW. Even if you changed the bulb and spectrum its still overkill... I run high tech tanks and never heard of success with that much light over a tank. If you Cut the wattage down to 1/3 you still have more then enough...

more light.. more other stuff.. seems like its going to be a pain.. me no like pain..

-



thanks for the advice guys..... much helpful..

 

[StandbySetting]

If you want the shimmer effect that Metal Halides give then I would recommend LED's, there are many units available that are quite expensive, but you can make your own cheaply.